Key Takeaways
- • St. John's University's Peter J. Tobin College of Business held end-of-semester investment pitch presentations on December 12, 2024, where 14 student teams presented recommendations across three endowment funds: a Student-Managed Blockchain Fund (SMBF) with six teams, an undergraduate Student-Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) with four teams, and a graduate SMIF with four teams.
- • Six student teams pitched cryptocurrency transactions for the SMBF, with approved recommendations including positions in Avalanche, Chainlink, Polkadot, and Polygon, reflecting student analysis that current lower valuations make cryptocurrencies more attractive investment opportunities.
- • Undergraduate and graduate finance students recommended increases in large-cap telecommunications equities, including Spotify and Verizon, based on comprehensive qualitative and quantitative equity research conducted by student teams throughout the semester.
- • The presentations were reviewed and voted on by a committee of faculty, administrators, and alumni who determined which transactions would be advanced for the University's endowment funds, integrating student portfolio management directly into institutional investment decision-making.
- • The exercise provided finance students with practical experience in company valuation, equity analysis, and investment recommendation development as part of coursework in Crypto Trading, Trading Strategies, Managing Investment Funds, and Quantitative Asset Management.
Summary
St. John's University's Peter J. Tobin College of Business conducted end-of-semester investment presentations on December 12, 2024, where 68 undergraduate and graduate finance students organized into 14 teams delivered actionable investment recommendations for three University endowment funds. The presentations represented the capstone exercise for students enrolled in specialized finance courses spanning both undergraduate and graduate curricula, including Crypto Trading, Trading Strategies, Managing Investment Funds, and Quantitative Asset Management.
The presentations were structured across three distinct investment mandates. Six student teams pitched cryptocurrency recommendations for the Student-Managed Blockchain Fund, while four teams presented equity recommendations for the undergraduate Student-Managed Investment Fund and four additional teams for the graduate SMIF. Each presentation included comprehensive student-created reports analyzing the target assets using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The pitches were evaluated by a committee of faculty, administrators, and alumni who voted on whether to advance the proposed transactions for actual implementation within the University's endowment infrastructure.
Student teams recommended cryptocurrency positions in Avalanche, Chainlink, Polkadot, and Polygon, which were approved by the committee. Several student teams noted that current lower valuations in the cryptocurrency market presented compelling entry opportunities relative to longer-term growth potential. In the equities space, student teams recommended increased positions in Spotify and Verizon, identifying both companies as positioned for expansion. One team, consisting of senior Finance major Brianna Garrison, Management major Katrina Heckman, and classmate Karina Bono, conducted comparative analysis supporting their telecommunications sector recommendations.
The exercise provided measurable learning outcomes for participating students. Garrison noted that the equity research component—conducting company valuation analysis and developing professional investment reports—constituted a formative first experience in institutional-grade fundamental analysis. Heckman highlighted that the practical valuation framework gained through the assignment would provide actionable methodology for future investment evaluation, indicating that the experience translated abstract financial theory into applied portfolio management skills. The integration of live endowment fund management into classroom instruction represents a structured approach to experiential finance education within degree programs at the Bachelor of Science in Finance and Master of Science in Finance/MBA levels.
The presentations were structured across three distinct investment mandates. Six student teams pitched cryptocurrency recommendations for the Student-Managed Blockchain Fund, while four teams presented equity recommendations for the undergraduate Student-Managed Investment Fund and four additional teams for the graduate SMIF. Each presentation included comprehensive student-created reports analyzing the target assets using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The pitches were evaluated by a committee of faculty, administrators, and alumni who voted on whether to advance the proposed transactions for actual implementation within the University's endowment infrastructure.
Student teams recommended cryptocurrency positions in Avalanche, Chainlink, Polkadot, and Polygon, which were approved by the committee. Several student teams noted that current lower valuations in the cryptocurrency market presented compelling entry opportunities relative to longer-term growth potential. In the equities space, student teams recommended increased positions in Spotify and Verizon, identifying both companies as positioned for expansion. One team, consisting of senior Finance major Brianna Garrison, Management major Katrina Heckman, and classmate Karina Bono, conducted comparative analysis supporting their telecommunications sector recommendations.
The exercise provided measurable learning outcomes for participating students. Garrison noted that the equity research component—conducting company valuation analysis and developing professional investment reports—constituted a formative first experience in institutional-grade fundamental analysis. Heckman highlighted that the practical valuation framework gained through the assignment would provide actionable methodology for future investment evaluation, indicating that the experience translated abstract financial theory into applied portfolio management skills. The integration of live endowment fund management into classroom instruction represents a structured approach to experiential finance education within degree programs at the Bachelor of Science in Finance and Master of Science in Finance/MBA levels.
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